Information storage device with a bridge controller and a plurality of electrically coupled conductive shields

ABSTRACT

A novel information storage device is disclosed and claimed. The information storage device includes a disk drive, a disk drive printed circuit board, and a first conductive shield over the disk drive printed circuit board and electrically coupled to the disk drive. The information storage device also includes a bridge controller printed circuit board and a second conductive shield over and electrically coupled to the bridge controller printed circuit board. The first and second conductive shields are in direct contact with each other. A disk drive interface connector electrically couples the bridge controller printed circuit board with the disk drive printed circuit board. A third conductive shield is attached to the disk drive interface connector and is in direct contact with both the first and second conductive shields.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of informationstorage devices, and more particularly to mounting systems and housingsfor information storage devices.

2. Background of the Art

Information storage devices are used to retrieve and/or store data forcomputer systems and other consumer electronics products. A magnetichard disk drive is an example of an information storage device. Manyinformation storage devices, including magnetic hard disk drives, aresensitive to their external environment, including mechanical shocks,externally applied forces and electromagnetic fields, contamination,changes in temperature and/or humidity, etc. Therefore, an informationstorage device's housing and mounting system may affect its performance,reliability, and lifetime.

Many information storage devices are housed within the system for whichthey retrieve and/or store data. For example, so-called “internal” diskdrives are housed within a host computer system for which they storedata, and therefore internal disk drives may take advantage of the hostcomputer system for electrical power, electromagnetic shielding,convective and/or conductive cooling, vibration dampening, some degreeof isolation from external mechanical shocks, etc.

Other information storage devices are not housed within the system forwhich they retrieve and/or store data. For example, a so-called“external” hard disk drive includes its own housing, which may provideelectromagnetic shielding, vibration dampening, some degree of isolationfrom external mechanical shocks, and active or passive cooling.

The mounting systems and housings for modern information storage devicesmust often meet challenging space and cost requirements. Accordingly,there is an ongoing need in the art for improved mounting systems andhousings for information storage devices.

SUMMARY

A novel information storage device is disclosed and claimed. Theinformation storage device includes a disk drive, a disk drive printedcircuit board, and a first conductive shield over the disk drive printedcircuit board and electrically coupled to the disk drive. Theinformation storage device also includes a bridge controller printedcircuit board and a second conductive shield over and electricallycoupled to the bridge controller printed circuit board. The first andsecond conductive shields are in direct contact with each other. A diskdrive interface connector electrically couples the bridge controllerprinted circuit board with the disk drive printed circuit board. A thirdconductive shield is attached to the disk drive interface connector andis in direct contact with both the first and second conductive shields.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an information storage devicewith first, second, and third shields, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bridge controller printed circuitboard according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third shield attached to a disk driveinterface connector, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the third shield and diskdrive interface connector of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 depicts a first conductive shield according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 6 depicts the first conductive shield of FIG. 5, as coupled to adisk drive according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 depicts a partially exploded view of an information storagedevice according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

A novel information storage device is disclosed and claimed. FIG. 1 isan exploded perspective view of an information storage device 100according to an embodiment of the present invention. The informationstorage device 100 includes a disk drive 110, a disk drive printedcircuit board 120, and a first conductive shield 130 over the disk driveprinted circuit board 120 and attached to the disk drive 110 by screws112. The disk drive printed circuit board 120 may include disk drivecontroller circuitry to control the rotation of a spindle motor withinthe disk drive 110 and the motion of an actuator within the disk drive110. To reduce manufacturing costs, the first conductive shield 130 ispreferably fabricated from sheet metal.

Disk drive 110 includes a disk drive top surface 114, a disk drivebottom surface 116, and a disk drive periphery 118. The disk drive 110defines a Z direction (normal to the disk drive top surface 114) and thedisk drive 110 defines a disk drive height 115 measured in the Zdirection from the disk drive bottom surface 116 to the disk drive topsurface 114. The disk drive 110 may be of various form factors and theform factor substantially determines the disk drive height 115. Forexample, disk drive 110 may be a 3.5″ form-factor disk drive and have adisk drive height 115 of approximately 25 mm. Also for example, diskdrive 110 may be a 2.5″ form factor disk drive and have a disk driveheight of approximately 9.5 mm.

The size of the disk drive printed circuit board 120 and of the diskdrive 110 may affect various aspects of the design of the firstconductive shield 130. For example, the first conductive shield 130 ispreferably large enough to substantially cover the disk drive printedcircuit board 120 to provide adequate electromagnetic shielding. Alsofor example, the thickness of sheet metal from which the firstconductive shield 130 may be fabricated, may be scaled according to diskdrive form factor. For example in the embodiment of FIG. 1, if the diskdrive 110 is a 3.5″ form-factor magnetic hard disk drive, then acorresponding sheet metal thickness is preferably in the range 0.8 mm to1.6 mm. Also for example, if the disk drive 110 is a 2.5″ form-factormagnetic hard disk drive, then a corresponding sheet metal thickness ispreferably in the range 0.4 mm to 1.2 mm.

The information storage device 100 of FIG. 1 also includes a bridgecontroller printed circuit board 140 and a second conductive shield 150over and electrically coupled to the bridge controller printed circuitboard 140. The bridge controller printed circuit board 140 is shown ingreater detail in FIG. 2, and may, for example, be a Serial AdvancedTechnology Attachment (SATA) controller printed circuit board thatincludes circuitry to control a SATA interface. The bridge controllerprinted circuit board 140 may, for example, enable the informationstorage device 100 to transfer data to/from a separate computer systemover a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the first conductive shield 130 and thesecond conductive shield 150 are shown to be in direct contact with eachother and also to be attached to each other via screws 152 and spacers132. Also in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the first conductive shield 130includes conductive tabs 134 that contact and can help retain the secondconductive shield 150.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a disk drive interface connector 160electrically couples the bridge controller printed circuit board 140with the disk drive printed circuit board 120. For example, as shown ingreater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, the disk drive interface connector 160may be a high-rise SATA connector. Preferably the disk drive interfaceconnector 160 includes a rigid plastic body 162 that is at least 6 mmtall. Preferably the disk drive interface connector 160 does not includeany cable. Preferably the disk drive interface connector 160 does notprotrude from the disk drive 110 more than 6 mm in any direction.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a third conductive shield 170 is attachedto the disk drive interface connector 160 and, after assembly, is indirect contact with both the first conductive shield 130 and secondconductive shield 150. The third conductive shield 170 may be fabricatedfrom stainless steel, for example. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, thedirect contact between the third conductive shield 170 and the firstconductive shield 130 is provided by conductive protrusions 172 thatextend from the third conductive shield 170. Conductive protrusions 172are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. Considering manufacturingtolerances, the electrical reliability of the direct contact between thethird conductive shield 170 and the second conductive shield 150 may beenhanced by the travel of conductive tabs 154 that pertain to the secondconductive shield 150 in the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows a closer perspective view of the first conductive shield130, and FIG. 6 shows the first conductive shield 130 coupled to thedisk drive 110, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Inthe embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the first conductive shield 130includes peripheral capacitive flanges 136, each of which at leastpartially overlaps the disk drive periphery 118. To accommodatemanufacturing tolerances, the peripheral capacitive flanges 136 aredesigned to be separated from the disk drive periphery 118 in adirection normal to the Z direction by a clearance. For example, if thedisk drive 110 is a 3.5″ form factor disk drive, then the clearance maybe in the range 0.5 mm to 5.1 mm. Also for example, if the disk drive110 is a 2.5″ form factor disk drive, then the clearance may be in therange 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

Preferably, each peripheral capacitive flange 136 is dimensioned tooverlap the disk drive periphery 118 in the Z-direction by at least 5times the clearance. For example, if the disk drive 110 is a 3.5″form-factor disk drive, the overlap is preferably at least 2.5 mm butpreferably no more than 25.4 mm measured in the Z direction. Also forexample, if the disk drive 110 is a 2.5″ form-factor disk drive, theoverlap is preferably at least 2.5 mm but preferably no more than 10 mmmeasured in the Z direction. Such overlap may provide a desirable levelof capacitive electrical coupling between the first conductive shield130 and the disk drive 110, in lieu of or in addition to directelectrical coupling via screws 112. The peripheral capacitive flanges136 may also include a plurality of projections 138 for mounting thedisk drive 110 and its conductive shields into an exterior housing.

FIG. 7 is a partially exploded view of an information storage device700, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Theinformation storage device 700 includes a housing 702 and a cover 704.The housing 702 and the cover 704 may comprise injection molded plastic,for example. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the second conductive shield750 includes a conductive tab 758 in contact with the first conductiveshield 730. The first conductive shield 730 may also include aconductive tab 734 that contacts and helps to retain the secondconductive shield 750.

In the foregoing specification, the invention is described withreference to specific exemplary embodiments, but those skilled in theart will recognize that the invention is not limited to those. It iscontemplated that various features and aspects of the invention may beused individually or jointly and possibly in a different environment orapplication. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to beregarded as illustrative and exemplary rather than restrictive.“Comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are intended to be open-endedterms.

1. An information storage device comprising: a disk drive including adisk drive printed circuit board; a first conductive shield over thedisk drive printed circuit board and electrically coupled to the diskdrive; a bridge controller printed circuit board; a second conductiveshield over and electrically coupled to the bridge controller printedcircuit board; a disk drive interface connector electrically couplingthe bridge controller printed circuit board with the disk drive printedcircuit board; a third conductive shield attached to the disk driveinterface connector; wherein the first and second conductive shields arein direct contact with each other; and wherein the third conductiveshield is in direct contact with both the first and second conductiveshields.
 2. The information storage device of claim 1 wherein the secondconductive shield includes a first conductive tab in contact with thefirst conductive shield.
 3. The information storage device of claim 1wherein the second conductive shield includes a second conductive tab incontact with the third conductive shield.
 4. The information storagedevice of claim 1 wherein the third conductive shield includes a firstprotrusion in contact with the first conductive shield.
 5. Theinformation storage device of claim 4 wherein the third conductiveshield includes a second protrusion in contact with the first conductiveshield.
 6. The information storage device of claim 1 wherein the diskdrive interface connector is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment(SATA) connector.
 7. The information storage device of claim 6 whereinthe disk drive interface connector is a high-rise SATA connector thatincludes a rigid plastic body that is at least 6 mm tall and does notinclude any cable.
 8. The information storage device of claim 1 whereinthe disk drive interface connector does not protrude from the disk drivemore than 6 mm in any direction.
 9. The information storage device ofclaim 1 wherein the bridge controller printed circuit board includes aSerial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) controller.
 10. Theinformation storage device of claim 1, wherein the disk drive furthercomprises a disk drive top surface, a disk drive bottom surface, and adisk drive periphery, and wherein the disk drive defines a Z directionthat is normal to the disk drive top surface, and wherein the disk drivedefines a disk drive height measured in the Z direction from the diskdrive bottom surface to the disk drive top surface, and wherein thefirst conductive shield includes a peripheral capacitive flange that atleast partially overlaps the disk drive periphery, the peripheralcapacitive flange being separated from the disk drive periphery in adirection normal to the Z direction by a clearance, and wherein theoverlap in the Z-direction is at least 5 times the clearance.
 11. Theinformation storage device of claim 10 wherein the disk drive is a 2.5″form-factor disk drive and the overlap is at least 2.5 mm but no morethan 10 mm measured in the Z direction.
 12. The information storagedevice of claim 10 wherein the disk drive is a 3.5″ form-factor diskdrive and the overlap is at least 2.5 mm but no more than 25.4 mmmeasured in the Z direction.
 13. The information storage device of claim1 wherein the disk drive is a 2.5″ form-factor disk drive, and whereinthe first conductive shield comprises sheet metal having a thickness inthe range 0.4 mm to 1.2 mm.
 14. The information storage device of claim1 wherein the disk drive is a 3.5″ form-factor disk drive, and whereinthe first conductive shield comprises sheet metal having a thickness inthe range 0.8 mm to 1.6 mm.